Tyre Labelling

In November 2012 a new piece of legislation came into force which required the majority of new tyres to come with EU set Tyre Labels.

You will notice that it bears a remarkable resemblance to the labels used for electric goods in the EU. However, unlike the electrical labels, the tyre label doesn’t focus on energy ratings. It shows you the grade given to 3 important categories that should be considered when choosing a tyre:

Fuel Efficiency

Wet Grip

External rolling noise

In November 2012 a new piece of legislation came into force which required the majority of new tyres to come with EU set Tyre Labels.

You will notice that it bears a remarkable resemblance to the labels used for electric goods in the EU. However, unlike the electrical labels, the tyre label doesn’t focus on energy ratings. It shows you the grade given to 3 important categories that should be considered when choosing a tyre:

Fuel Efficiency

Wet Grip

External rolling noise

Why is it being introduced?

The main goal of the new legislation is to provide more information to motorists on the performance of tyres. By doing this, the EU hope to increase road safety, make shopping for tyres more cost-effective and reduce the impact tyres have on the environment.

With each tyre on the market being tested and classified using the same criteria, vehicle owners will now be able to make a more informed decision when shopping for new tyres – with tyres easily comparable for these specific capabilities.

Who does it affect?

Quite simply, it affects everyone. From the tyre manufacturers, to the tyre suppliers and retailers, all the way to the consumer.

For those of us within the tyre industry, we now have an obligation to our customers to ensure that we fully comply with this new piece of legislation. Manufacturers must ensure that the tests they complete are objective and accurate.

They must all ensure that the data required is handed down the chain to retailers. This is so we can fully understand the products we are selling. After all, although these labels are empowering for customers, the tyre label will not give you the full picture, the tyre experts will.

For you, the customer, the effect of the label is nothing but a good thing. Not only does it allow you to quickly compare the tyres that you are interested in purchasing based on standardised tests, it gives you information that will add confidence to your final decision. Information is power.

Are all tyres included?

At present no. Not all tyre categories are covered by the legislation, only the following:

Car tyres

4×4 tyres

Van tyres

Truck tyres

Tyres Not Covered:

So if you are buying racing, professional off road, spare, vintage, re-tread, motorbike or studded tyres, you will not see this label.